The Department of Sanskrit Sahitya started to function from the very inception of the University ie., in the year 1993. There are 29 regular teachers in the Department (Professor - 4, Associate Professor-22, Asst. Professor-3). The Department offers various programmes including MA, M.Phil.- Ph.D integrated programme and direct Ph.D programme at Head Quarters, Kalady. PG Programme in Sanskrit Sahitya is being offered in Regional Centres of Payyannur, Koyilandy, Tirur, Thrissur, Ettumanoor, Thuravoor and Thiruvananthapuram also. So far Department has produced 130 M.Phil s and Ph.D s.

Teachers of the Department have associated with several teaching programmes and designing new courses of inter-disciplinary or Multi-disciplinary in nature.

Strengthening of Sanskrit Education is another major programme headed by the Department. Under this scheme 38 Model schools were recognised as centres for Sanskrit learning. The project is running with the financial assistance of central government.

Department of Sanskrit Sahitya by different methods like seminars, memorial talks and extension lectures try to establish and expand the growing relevance of Sanskrit studies in various new areas. Any study regarding India and its culture is not fruitfull without the proper knowledge of Sanskrit. Hence any new emerging areas of study in philosophy, language studies, technical studies, the Sanskrit Sahitya Department has its own place. The Department has already published the proceeding of five National and International Seminars in book form and all of them were highly acclaimed by the academic world. Apart from these the faculty members published a number of books as studies on Indian culture and civilization related with Sanskrit.

Future plans of the department.

To conduct seminars of national and international level and to convene workshops, extension lectures and memorial talks in the centre.

To publish books on Sanskrit subjects.

To popularize Sanskrit knowledge among the society.

To undertake new projects with the help of national and international funding agencies.

The University was established two decades ago in the name of the illustrious Indian philosopher Jagad Guru Adi Sankara in his place of birth at Kalady. The basic objective of the University is to impart knowledge in various branches of Sanskrit, Indology, Indian culture, Indian and Foreign languages, Indian philosophy, Fine Arts and Social Sciences and to promote the study and research in Sanskrit and other systems of Indian knowledge. As a centre of cultural heritage and a house for indigenous art forms, the University is envisioned to harmonize the society through educational excellence.